The Wikimedia Foundation announced on Saturday that it has reached a compromise with the Indonesian government, which had threatened to block Wikipedia over domestic registration regulations that the foundation considered overly invasive.
Background of the Dispute
Under a 2020 regulation, all electronic system providers (PSEs) are required to register in Indonesia for what the government describes as legal and user protection purposes before making their services available in the country. Critics have labeled the provision requiring registered PSEs to remove content deemed as "causing public unrest and disturbing public order" as a restriction on free speech.
Meeting with Ministry
The foundation stated that it had a "very constructive meeting" earlier in the week with the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry. During the meeting, the ministry provided "assurances that there would be no unlawful content takedown orders or data disclosure requirements that could put the Wikimedia community-led model at risk."
Government Ultimatum
Last week, the Indonesian government gave the foundation a seven-day ultimatum to register or face the blocking of its services, including Wikipedia Indonesia. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.
Compromise Reached
The compromise allows Wikipedia to continue operating in Indonesia without compromising its community-led content moderation model. The foundation expressed relief that the assurances from the ministry aligned with its commitment to free knowledge and user privacy.
